Tips for finding and buying jewellery

Purchasing jewellery on the Internet offers consumers one very important advantage: the ability to buy fine quality jewellery at prices well below what they might pay in a shop. The reason for lower prices has to do with overhead or the cost of doing business. By using the Internet rather than a retail location, a seller can eliminate approximately 90% of the costs associated with the selling of fine jewellery. Using the eBay auction format, with its built-in checks and balances, reduces many of the pitfalls associated with traditional Internet shopping. Nevertheless, it is very important to first research the item of jewellery you are interested in, and then confirm the legitimacy of the seller with whom your are dealing.

Searching for jewellery:

To search for a particular piece of jewellery on eBay, you can use the categories to narrow your search. From the home page, select the jewellery category. Then, choose a subcategory, or search for key words in the full jewellery category by clicking in the search dialogue box on the page. Key words that might include the type of jewellery (for example, costume jewellery), the manufacturer of the jewellery (for example, Tiffany), the material from which the jewellery is made (for example, diamonds), the year or period in which it was produced, and so on.

Because people list items differently, you may want to be creative in your searches. If the search does not produce the item you are looking for, try broadening the scope of the terms you are using. You will often get the best results from searches if you search the larger jewellery category and include the option to search the text as well as the title. This way, you'll find items even if the key word is only in the description or if the item is in a different category.

Viewing your search results:

You can view the listings that your search finds in many ways: featured auctions first, only the auctions that are ending today, or all the auctions in order of the day and time the auction ends. If you are looking for something specific, you may want to browse through all the listings. But if you are looking to bid and buy as soon as possible, selecting only auctions ending today will be helpful. If the listing hasafter the title, that indicates the listing includes a picture. listings are auctions that have been listed in the last 24 hours.

Reading the auction listings:

Take a look at the terminology for listing and buying that people often use when describing jewellery. For example, it is helpful to understand the period in which the jewellery was produced; common terms used (see glossary); the differences between the materials (gold plated versus gold); and terms to describe the condition.

In addition, it is important to understand the terms used to describe the size and the quality of gemstones. Gemstones can be certified through independent grading laboratories. Although certified stones may cost more, the piece of mind they bring may be well worth the cost. In addition to the "Terms for Listing or Buying" section in "Tips for Selling and Listing Jewellery," you may want to refer to a jewellery reference book or Internet sites for more terms and more extensive definitions.

Deciding how much to bid:

Once you find a piece of jewellery you like, consider what it is worth to you and about how much that piece is currently selling for. jewellery price guides can be a helpful reference, but, remember they are only guides. You can ask the helpful people on the eBay Jewellery Board. You can also do a search of completed eBay auctions for similar jewellery to see what people have paid in the past. Additionally, visit some jewellery shops. View as many different quality gemstones and jewellery as possible. The more jewellery you see, the easier it becomes to differentiate between good quality jewellery versus commercial quality.

Read the descriptions of the jewellery carefully. Details about the condition and the item can help you decide how much to bid. If you have a question or are unclear about something in the description, you may want to email the seller to ask for more information before placing your bid, especially for more expensive pieces of jewellery. Ask specific questions—most sellers are happy to answer them. In particular, you may want to ask what the jewellery piece's flaws are and whether any gemstones are natural or synthetic, so that the burden of disclosure is on the seller, and you are not unpleasantly surprised when you receive your jewellery.

Placing a bid:

Once you have decided what you are willing to pay for the piece of jewellery, place a bid! You can set your bid for the maximum you are willing to spend. eBay will then place your bid at the lowest amount that ensures you are the high bidder up to your limit. If someone bids against you, eBay automatically raises your bid so that you remain the high bidder until the bid amount reaches your limit. You can also place a low bid and decide on a case-by-case basis whether you want to raise your bid when someone outbids you.

Note: It is also a good idea to look at the feedback the seller has received before placing your bid. The comments will help you decide if this is someone you would like to do business with! If there is a lot of feedback, at least glance at the recent responses and any negative feedback to see if there are any comments of concern or issues you would want to clarify with the seller. For example, you may still want to buy from a seller who received a comment about not packing breakables well, but you may want to clarify how they will package your item.

Completing the transaction:

eBay will notify the seller and high bidder at the conclusion of the auction. The seller will then contact the high bidder to arrange for payment and transportation of the jewellery item. Typically, the seller will send the jewellery as soon as the payment has been received.

When you receive your jewellery, enjoy! And if the seller was prompt and courteous, give positive feedback so that other users will know this person is a good seller to work with!